Master sheet assembly



Oct l, 1940 F. J. BURKART MASTER SHEET ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 17, 1939 Y 20 au 3 INVENTOR, n

,U m s. www @www J Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNI-TED STATES MASTER snnnr ASSEMBLY Frederick J. Burkart.' Chicago.: Ill., assignor to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, lll., a corporation of West Virginia Application February 17, 1939, Serial No1 256,903

6 Claims.

My invention relates to master sheet assemblies for use with wet process duplicating machines in which the master sheet, with its subject matter written or printed in reverse in hectograph ink,

is clamped upon a drum or cylinder and carried around thereby into impression relationship with a series of copy sheets one after another, means being provided for applying a film of solvent upon each of the copy sheets in turn. It is the object 10 of my invention to provide an improved form of master sheet members so arranged that a plurality of such members are adapted to be used in'cooperative relation for printing a" copy sheet, and to provide means for holding selected onesof said members releasably in cooperative position with respect to each other for a printing opera;

tion.

It is one of the objects of my invention to proy vide improved means of this type for use in the preparation of orders, for example, for supplies or materials of a type necessary to'be recorded from time to time. In the use of my invention, an individual master sheet is provided for each type of article, so arranged that lt is capable of being assembled readily with other master sheet members so that the reading matter in hectograph ink on the several sheets makes up a composite copy. In the preferred form oi parts for practicing my invention, the master sheets are in the form oi' strips of paper with the reading matter on each of the sheets in such position as to be risible in substantially the ordinary conventional relationship when the several sheets are over- 5 lapped in a predetermined manner. The several individual master sheets are, of course, very carefully prepared originally, with a careful check as to the completeness and the correctness of the specifications thereon. When an order is to be given for a number of articles from a single manufacturer or dealer, the individual master sheets corresponding to the several articles desired are selected from the ile and are used in cooperative relation to each other and in co- 45 operative relationship to auxiliary master sheets specially prepared for specifying the number of articles desired and the prices of such articles. and for providing the names and addresses of the parties to the order, and the shipping instruc- 50 tions for the order. In this way. with the technical data of each order supplied by the carefully checked master sheets without the necessity for any copying, the correctness of specications on orders from time to time is assured, and a very 55 considerable saving in time is made as compared (CL iol-131) 1 with theprepa'ration of an order without using such individual master sheets.

In the preparation of copies by wet process duplicating mechanisms, it is highly important thatthe pressure with which the copy sheet 'is 5 applied to the master sheet shall be kept as nearly uniform as possible for the purpose of keeping the transfer of the:A ink from the master sheet even so as to producefuniform. good-looking, easily legible copies without any tendency for 10 over-printing o`r under-printing at any point. For obtaining this result; I have provided means in combination with the over-lapping master sheets for keeping the master sheet assembly of substantialLveven thickness,` transversely of the assembly, so that there may^be the 'same aggre gate thickness of paper or other parts making up the assembly at-all'po intsfbetween the presf sure members by-which the impression relationship is established; To'accmmodate the use of 9 a varying number of master sheets for .a single order, I have provided compensating parts in unit form which can be removably secured on a supporting sheet along with the over-lapping master sheets in variouspositions with respect to each other so as to assure an evenlybuilt-up assembly when the desired number of individual master sheet members are placed in operative position thereon.

It is another object of my 'invention to improve master sheet assemblies of thistype in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a face view of the prel'erred form of my improved assembly, but with many of the parts partially broken away for clearness of illustration. o

Fig. 2 is a face view of the backing or supporting sheet of my improved arrangement with one form of compensating means thereon, and with the master sheet members removed, parts of the assembly being broken away for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the structure as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially at the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. 50

Fig. 5 is an end view of a modied form of compensating unit, with a plurality of master sheets shown in their over-lapping arrangement. but in raised position with respect to the compensating unit for showing clearly how the uniformity of thickness of the assembly is brought about, the master sheets being broken away at one side.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing a slightly diierent arrangement of parts for use at the opposite side of the assembly; and

Fig. 'I is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modifiecliorm. ,4

Referring" now to Figs. 1 to' t inclusive of the drawing. in' which' corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, I0 indicates a support or backing member which'in the arrangementl shown is in the form offa sheet of paper. At each side of the sheet l0 I have provided a series of compensating strips lII, I2. I3 and I4, of increased thickness from one strip to another toward the adjacent edge of the sheet I0, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The'strips II, I2, I3 and I4 in the arrangement shown are secured in position upon the supporting or backing sheet Il) by means of adhesive as indicated at I5 in Fig. 2, the several strips being mounted in slightly spaced parallel relation to each other. Across the ends of the sheet I0 andthe superposed strips II to I4, I have provided a strip I6 whichis secured by means of adhesive upon the intermediate portion of the sheet I0 and upon the end portions of .the strips I I to-I4.;the adhesive being shown atll in said Fig. 2. VThis strip I6 may, however,fbe secured in -any suitable manner consistent with leavingits inner edge portion free forreceiving master sheets thereunder .as hereinafterset.hforth; 1-

Upon -the structure as shown in Fig. 2, I- employ-a plurality Omaster sheets Illto 24. inclusive,as is shownin Fig. 1, such master sheet members beingloi` the same width and being arranged ln over-lapping relationship to .each other so that their. bottom edge portions areexposed to view, as is clearly shown in said Fig.- l. The severalmaster sheets are arranged so that the width of the over-lapping portion of each. master sheet as compared with the mastersheet resting directly thereon, corresponds with the width of the compensating strips II to I 4. `ijuthermore, .the size of the sheet IIJ is such that the distance between the two strips II Ain position as shown in Fig. 1 is an integral number .of times greater than the width of one of the compensating strips. The master sheets I8 to 24 are also of the same thickness as that of thecompensating strips II, with the result that the assembly as shown in Fig. 1 with the compensating strips and the master sheet mmebers in position is of uniform thickness from one side of the assembly to the other. For attaining this result, the strip I2 is made twice as thick as the strip II, the strip I3 is made three times as thick as the strip I I, and the strip I4 is made four times as thick as the strip Il. In this Way, the assembly comprising the supporting sheet I0, the compensating strips II to I Il,- and the master sheet members I8 to 24, has a uniform aggregate thickness at all points transversely of the assembly. The master sheet members I8 to 24 in this arrangement are held releasably in adiusted position by the free portion of the cross strip I6, the ends of the master sheet members being inserted between the strips I6 and the sheet I0.

In the arrangement shown, each of the master sheet members I8 to 24 is provided upon its exposed lower edge portion with the designation and specication of an article to be purchased, such subject matter being applied in the usual manner by the use of hectograph ink. The printed matter in reverse in hectograph ink is shown complete upon the master sheet member I8, but at other points the printed subject matter is indicated by dotted lines rather than in the form of printing in reverse.

For indicating the number of the articles being ordered and the price of each article, I have provided an auxiliary mastersheet member 25, secured in position underneath the holding strip I 6 and above the individual master sheet members I8 to 24. The strip 25 is to be provided with notations thereon in hectograph ink in re- Averse specifying the number of articles and the price. When an order is to be prepared, the individualjmaster sheets I8 to 24 would ordinarily be selected from a le, while the master sheet member 25 would ordinarily be prepared 'specially for the particular order being given, since the data upon the strip 25 would, of course. vary in accordance with the circumstances.

For giving the name of the purchaser and the manufacturer or dealer to which the order is addressed, .together with shipping instructions or other general data relating to the whole order, I have provided a master sheet member 26 held in position between the strip I6 and the topmost master sheet member 24. With a master sheet member 26 in position as shown in Fig. 1, the assembly would be slightly thicker at its top edge portion than at the remaining portion of the assembly, but this difference would be very slight so that no bad results would follow from such slightly increased thickness.

With a le of master sheet members available provided with inked subject matter thereon designating the diierent articles to be re-ordered from time to time, an order can be prepared very quickly andeasily with complete assurance that the specification portion of the order is correct, this result being attained without the necessity for any checking such as would be required for assuring correctness if the subject matter were retyped. All that is necessary for insuring high grade results is that the width of the sheet IU corresponds with the width of the over-lapped master sheet members to be employed in connection with the proposed order. In the arrangement shown, seven of the over-lapped master sheet members are used, with the strips II separated by a space corresponding with the width of three of the compensating strips. If only four master sheet members were to be employed. the compensating strips Ii would of course be arranged closely adjacent to each other. If eight master sheet members in over-lapped relation were to be employed, the supporting sheet I 0 would be correspondingly wider.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of compensating means comprising four strips, 2l, 28, 29 and 30, of varying width secured together in unit form with their left hand edges flush as shown in said Fig. 5, and with their edges at the right successively set back so as to leave substantially equal portions of the several strips exposed at the top face of the unit. The compensating unit as shown in Fig. 5 is designed to be used with a supporting member such as is shown in Fig. 7 comprising a supporting sheet 3l and a holding strip 32 secured by an adhesive directly across one end of the sheet. With a structure such as that shown in Fig. 7, units like that shown in Fig. 5 can be inserted in position thereon with their ends underneath the strip 32 so as to hold the parts releasbly in position, in contrast with the-arrangements shown' in Figs. 1 to 4 in which the compensating strips are mounted permanently in position. By the use of this modied form of arrangement, two of the compensating units such as that shown in Fig. can be employed at any desired spaced relation with respect to each other for accommodating the desired number of overlapping master sheet members.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a modied form of compensating unit for use at the top edge of an assembly. This modied unit comprises a strip 33, a strip 34 of considerably smaller width and a strip 35 of the same width as the strip 30 in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. By the use of the unit as shown in Fig. 6, compensation is made for the Yuse of the strip 26, the assembly being completely uniform in thickness from one side edge to the other when an arrangement is used as shown in said Fig. 6.

In the arrangement shown, all of the strips andsheets are formed of paper preferably, but my invention is not to be limited to the formation of all or any of the parts of paper specically, since it will be understood that any appropriate form of sheet material may be employed.

It is to be understood also that my invention is not to be limited to the form and arrangement of parts as shown except so far as the claims may be so limited, it being evident that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. A master sheet assembly comprising in combination a plurality of master sheet members arranged in over-lapping relationship to each other with a transversely extending margin portion of each master sheet extended beyond the corresponding edge of the adjacent master sheet and provided with inked subject matter for duplication, compensating means of varying thickness at diierent points arranged in cooperative relation to said master sheets for making the eiective thickness of the assembly substantially uniform throughout the printing face portion of the assembly, vand binding means releasably mounted on the over-lapped end portions of said master sheets for holding the sheets in their over-lapping arrangement and of such size and shape as to be insertable readily into gripping position under the grippers of a duplicating machine.

2. A master sheet assembly comprising in combination a supporting sheet, a plurality of master sheet members arranged in over-lapping relationship on said supporting sheet, means adapted normally to hold said master sheet members releasably in adjusted position on said supporting sheet, and compensating means on said supporting sheet of varying thickness at different points adapted to cooperate with said master sheet members releasably in adjusted positionv on said supporting sheet, an auxiliary master sheet member in the form of a strip in cross relationship to said first named master sheet members, and provided at points opposite to the inked portions of said rst named master sheet members with data relating to the data on the yseveral master sheet members're'spectively, and

compensating means interposed between said supporting sheet and said rst'named master sheet members `of varying thickness at diiTer- .ent points corresponding inversely With the varying thickness of the over-lapping master sheet members for making the eiective'thickness of the assembly substantially uniform transversely throughout the printing face portion of the assembly.

4. In a master sheet assembly structure, the combination of a supporting sheet, compensating means secured on said supporting sheet along one edge thereof comprising a plurality of parallel strip portions of increased thickness toward the adjacent edge of the supporting sheet, and a strip of sheet material secured across the end of the supporting sheet with its inside edge portion free for releasably holding in position master sheet members inserted between the strip and the sheet.

5. In a master sheet assembly structure, the combination of a supporting sheet, compensating means secured on said supporting sheet along opposite edges thereof comprising at each edge a plurality of parallel portions of increased thickness toward the adjacent edge of the supporting sheet, and holding means arranged in cross relationship to said compensating means for releasably holding a plurality of master sheet members in position on said supporting sheet and said compensating means.

6. In a master sheet assembly structure, the combination of a plurality of strips of sheet material of varying width, secured together in unit form `with their longitudinal edges ush at one side and'with the edges at the opposite side successively set back so as to leave substantially equal portions of the several strips exposed at the top face of the structure.

`FREDERICK J. BURKART. 

